Portable indicator.



E. E. SCHRAM. PORTABLE-INDICATOR. APPucATloN mso Nov. l5. 191s.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

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atto/www5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND E. SCHRAM, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

PORTABLE INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2,1917.

Application led November 15, 1916. Serial No. 131,376.

cator, and the primary object of my invention is tofprovide a novel electric indicating device that may be advantageously used by ushers in moving picture houses, darkened theaters or other places to signal the number of vacant seats, so that persons standing in the rear of an audience may be readily seated.

A further object of my invention is to combine a flashlight and exhibitor in such a manner that the flash light may be used to illuminate the exhibitor or may be used for searching or observation purposes in dark places, for instance by a theater usher attempting to recover a lost article in a dark aisle or about a seat.

Another object of my invention is to provide a portable indicator consisting of comparatively few parts that are easy to assemble and manipulate, durable and inexpensive to manufacture and highly efiicient for the purposes for which' it is intended.

With these and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of portable indicator;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the exhibitor thereof; Y Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the exhibitor; p Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of indicator;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a further modified form of indicator, and

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a stanchion device provided with the indicator.

Reference will first be had to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive showin the preferred form of device, and the re erence numeral 1 generally denotes a portabley source of electrical en- 'rotatable support 6 which is knurled or roughened whereby 1t may be ergy, as an ordinary flashlight including a casing for a storage battery, a button or switch 2 for controlling the operation of the flashlight, a holder 3 for a reflector. and socket member 4, and an incandescent lamp 5 supported by the reflector and socket member. These elements are of a form common in many fiashlights and I intend to use the flashlight as a convenient source of electrical energy for its usual purposes, besides illuminating an exhibitor as an indicator.

On the holder 3 of the flashlight 1 is a preferably easily revolved. The support 6 is provided with a rectangular casing 7 having a hinged lid 8 adapted to be opened when it is desired to use the flashlight 1 for searching or observation purposes in dark places.

The side walls of the casing 3 are provided with openings 9 and normally closing said openings are transparent plates 10 made of glass, celluloid or other material and suitably held against the inner sides of the casing walls. The transparent plates 10 have clear or frosted portions 11 representingnumerals, for instance, 1 to 4 as the casing 7 is rectangular and presents four walls. The remaining portions of the transparent plates 10 have a dark back ground for the numerals 1 to 4, so that said numerals will lbe prominently displayed when the interior one in alinement with the opening 13. As

shown in Fig. 3, the numeral 2 will be illuminated and the numerals 1, 3 and 4 shut oil' from the rays of light emitted by the lamp 5.

In Fig. 4, there is illustrated a combined flashlight and exhibitor, and the exhibitor casing 14 has a display opening 15 anda slide 16. The slide 16 is somewhat in the form of a stencil and by shifting thev'same in the casin '14 a desired numeral or designation may e illuminated by the flashlight.

A further modification is shown in Fig. 5 wherein a flashlight 17 has a large circular roo los

head 18 provided with indicia and matter on the head 18 may be displayed by rotating a shutter 19.

A rotatable exhibitor 20 is shown in Fig. 6 as supported by a stanchion or stand 21. This stanchion may have a source of electrical energy located in the base thereof, or accommodate lead-in Wires from a remote source of electrical energy.

As mentioned in the beginning I have designed a portable indicator particularly for the ushers of darkened theaters, for in# stance, Where moving pictures are shown and the xaudience is constantly changing. In such amusement places the popularity of a lm taxes the seating capacity of the place and patrons are often caused to stand until seats are vacated. It is the present practice for ushers to run the aisles or indicate by the fingers the number of vacant seats, and to eliminate this practice and annoyance to the audience, my device may be silently used by an usher to flash a number or indicia Which Will indicate to the patrons standing in the rear of the audience the number of vacant seats in the front part of the theater. It is only necessary for the usher to adjust the device to display the desired number or indicia and then operate the flashlight. Byy properly holding the device a vacant seat may be indicated Without annoyance to the audience, and as a result of such use, patrons are better satisfied and the profits of the play house materially increased.

While in the drawings there are illustrated the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to 4be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such changes in size, shape and manner of assemblage, as fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. The combination of a flash light and an exhibitor rotatable `on the outer end thereof about the longitudinal axis of the flash light and havingsign displaying Walls.

2. The combination of a flash light having a lamp axially of the outer end thereof, an exhibitor rotatable on the outer end of said flash light about the longitudinal axis thereof, and a lid on the outer end of said exhibitor adapted to be opened to emit rays of light from the lamp of said flash light.

3. A portable indicator comprising a flash light, a holder at the outer end thereof, an exhibitor rotatable on said holder about the longitudinal axis of said flash light and provided With sign displaying Walls, and a lid closing the outer end of the exhibitor.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

EDMUND E. SCI-IRAM.

Witnesses:

KARL H. BUTLER, ANNA M. Donn. 

